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§ THE GLASS FACTORY. §
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¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.=^ SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ^=.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.= BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO =.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. AND A GIFT SHOP. .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.= =.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.=^ THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ^=.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.=^§ MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE §^=.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.=^§% CONSIDERED POOR. %§^=.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.=^§%£ £%§^=.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨.=^§%£@ THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, @£%§^=.¨¨¨
¨¨.=^§%£@# DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN #@£%§^=.¨¨
¨.=^§%£@## YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ##@£%§^=.¨
¨¨.=^§%£@# REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. #@£%§^=.¨¨
¨¨¨.=^§%£@ CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND @£%§^=.¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.=^§%£ LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE £%§^=.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.=^§% PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, %§^=.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.=^§ SOME ARE SHATTERED. §^=.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.=^ ^=.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.= THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S =.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. §§ .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.= §§ §§ =.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.=^ ======= § § ======= ^=.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.=^§ §§ §§ §^=.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.=^§% §§ %§^=.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.=^§%£ £%§^=.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨.=^§%£@ I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE @£%§^=.¨¨¨
¨¨.=^§%£@# OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS #@£%§^=.¨¨
¨.=^§%£@## OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ##@£%§^=.¨
¨¨.=^§%£@# DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS #@£%§^=.¨¨
¨¨¨.=^§%£@ BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF @£%§^=.¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.=^§%£ DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO £%§^=.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.=^§% ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE %§^=.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.=^§ LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK §^=.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.=^ WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. ^=.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.= =.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.= =.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.=^ THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ^=.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.=^§ HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT §^=.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.=^§% LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND %§^=.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.=^§%£ TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST £%§^=.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨.=^§%£@ A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH @£%§^=.¨¨¨
¨¨.=^§%£@# STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE #@£%§^=.¨¨
¨.=^§%£@## BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ##@£%§^=.¨
¨¨.=^§%£@# ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING #@£%§^=.¨¨
¨¨¨.=^§%£@ LIT FROM BEHIND. @£%§^=.¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.=^§%£ £%§^=.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.=^§% I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT %§^=.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.=^§ THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE §^=.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.=^ WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ^=.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.= LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN =.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ §§ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ §§ §§ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. ======= § § ======= .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.= §§ §§ =.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.=^ §§ ^=.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.=^§ §^=.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.=^§% MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE %§^=.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.=^§%£ STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET £%§^=.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨.=^§%£@ IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, @£%§^=.¨¨¨
¨¨.=^§%£@# IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. #@£%§^=.¨¨
¨.=^§%£@## IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ##@£%§^=.¨
¨¨.=^§%£@# DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY #@£%§^=.¨¨
¨¨¨.=^§%£@ CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO @£%§^=.¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.=^§%£ SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND £%§^=.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.=^§% PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. %§^=.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.=^§ §^=.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.=^ THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ^=.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.= THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE =.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.= CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE =.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.=^ ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. ^=.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.=^§ §^=.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.=^§% THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, %§^=.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.=^§%£ WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND £%§^=.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨.=^§%£@ CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS @£%§^=.¨¨¨
¨¨.=^§%£@# BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT #@£%§^=.¨¨
¨.=^§%£@## FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE ##@£%§^=.¨
¨¨.=^§%£@# BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING #@£%§^=.¨¨
¨¨¨.=^§%£@ DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE @£%§^=.¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.=^§%£ TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS £%§^=.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.=^§% DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY %§^=.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.=^§ FLOOR. §^=.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.=^ ^=.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.= HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO =.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.= I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM =.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.=^ WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ^=.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.=^§ MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A §^=.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.=^§% WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS %§^=.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.=^§%£ THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT £%§^=.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨.=^§%£@ VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, @£%§^=.¨¨¨
¨¨.=^§%£@# BECOME STILL. #@£%§^=.¨¨
¨.=^§%£@## ##@£%§^=.¨
¨¨.=^§%£@# §§ #@£%§^=.¨¨
¨¨¨.=^§%£@ §§ §§ @£%§^=.¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.=^§%£ ======= § § ======= £%§^=.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.=^§% §§ §§ %§^=.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.=^§ §§ §^=.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.=^ ^=.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.= A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, =.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.= =.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.=^ SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ^=.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.=^§ THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK §^=.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.=^§% GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND %§^=.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.=^§%£ I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE £%§^=.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨.=^§%£@ THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? @£%§^=.¨¨¨
¨¨.=^§%£@# #@£%§^=.¨¨
¨.=^§%£@## I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ##@£%§^=.¨
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